Ciara

Name at birth: Ciara Harris

Ciara is a hip-hop and R&B singer whose 2004 debut produced the hit songs "Goodies" and "1, 2 Step" (with Missy Elliott). After years of moving around to military bases (her mother was in the air force, her father was in the army), her family settled in Atlanta, Georgia when Ciara was eight years old. She set out to be a singing star when she was a teenager, first with a girl group, then as a solo artist.

With the help of producers Jazze Pha and Lil John, guest stars such as Elliott and Ludacris and a talented team of songwriters, Ciara's debut album made her an overnight celebrity. "Goodies," an up-tempo dance hit about refusing sexual advances, was a top hit in the U.S. and U.K. and earned Ciara a reputation as a "crunk & B" singer ("crunk & B" mixes elements of R&B with a harder, faster style known as crunk). It was followed by the single "1, 2 Step," which also reached the top ten.